Cotton-gin.



No; 633,994. vMmmm ont.' 3, i899.-

. J. w. GRAVES. l

comm Gm.

fApplicationled. Fish-8, 1898.y um Model.) r K K 5 sheets-sheet L 4 I+ Yf r w U I I s I l Q9/ j Q s f *I un. 633.994. Patented out. s; |899.

J. W. GRAVES.

COTTUN GIN.

:Application led Feb. S, 1898.. Y (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

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CUTTBN GHG.

AApplfuzaizion filed Feb. B, 189s,

5 Sheets Sheet 3.

(No Modem.

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Patented Oct. 3, i899. J. W. GRAVES. y

COTTON GIN.

(Application filed Feb. 8, 1898.)

` un. 633,994. Patented oct. 3,1399..

J. W. GRAVES. COTTUN GIN.

' Application led Feb. 8, 1898A (un Model.) 5 sheets-sheet s'.

l lm nv wvawioz i such as will enable others skilled in the art totions, andthe ginning devices into the `lint- A- flue. The ginningdevices are preferablyof `the rotary KAtype,a'nd in 'the particularembodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings they consist ofa series of rollers spaced apart` and 'mounted in a frame which adaptedto produce a current of air which, passing through ,theconveyen willcarry theV of the `screen and moving .in contact there- UNITED STATES'PATENT OFFICE.

. Jol-1N W. GRAVES, o E LITTLE Roon, ARKANSAS.-

'COTTON-GIN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Iietters Patent No. 633,994, dated October3, 1899.

Application filed February 8, 1898.

To AZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, J onN W. GRAVES, a citizen of the United States,residing at Little Rock, in the county of Pulaski and State of Arkansas,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton-Gnus; and Ido hereby declare the'following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of theinvention,

which it appertains to make and use the same.

Prior to my present invention the employment of roller-gins fordelinting seed-cotton has been comparatively limited for the reason thatdespite the generally-recognized superiority of the product which theydeliver their mode of operation is so slow and ytedious that theimproved quality of the product does not compensate for the relativelyvery small output of the apparatus. It is the object of my ,invention toremedy this deiciencyby providing a roller-gin of high speed and quickand effective action having a capacity of production commensurate withthat of the highest type of saw-gins and yielding a product or staple ofthe quality expected from a gin lhaving a roller action. i

In carrying out my invention I ,convey the seed-cotton to be delintedalong the face of a perforated screen and during itsy travel 4I causethe lint to enterthe screenlperforations and inallyto lie-drawnentirelythrough said, perforations and delivered Yto the .lint-flue, thedelinted cotton-seed passing ouwardly to a convenient point* ofcollection. My preferred means for causing the vlint tofenter thescreen-perforations is a pneumatic device lint into the perforations,whereupon it will be assisted in its passage therethrough by ginningdevices located at the opposite side with.' My preferred form ofpneumatic de-v vice is a blower adapted to discharge its blast throughr4the conveyer., the screen-perforai Seriana. 669,502. (roman.)

receives a movement of rotation and to which eachv ofthe rollers isconnected by multiplying-gearing in such manner that the individualrollers vwill each have-a rotation much niore rapid than that'ofA theframe itself. In

order to maintain intimate contact between the screen'and the rotatorygrinning-rollers, I provide means for exerting a longitudinal vstrain orpull upon the end of the screen by means of a Weight or its equivalentwhich serves as an automatic take-up to compensate for such Wear as mayfrom time to time occur. I The seed-cotton conveyer is of'a constructionpermitting it to eifectively move the seed-cotton along the screen,While at the same timek permitting the passage of the current ofV airnecessary for the entrainment of the lint into the screen-perforations.

The characteristic features of my invention, as above set forth, areparticularly pointed out in the claims forming a partof thisspecitication. f

In'the drawings, Figure l represents a longitudinal central section ofan apparatus embodying my invention on the line l l of Fig.,

removed, and also a side elevation of a porf tion of one of saidlin-ks.'Y Fig. S represents a sectional view of one of thefriction-rollers audits adjacent parts, and Fig; 9 represents thevfaceviert thereof.

' ,Similar letters of reference indicate similar parts throughout thelseveral views. Referring to the vdrawings, A indicates a suitableframeworkfor the apparatus, within which the operativel parts aremounted.. j Y

kB-vindicates a hopper for the reception` of' ythe seed-cotton, and C aconi-*eyer-receiving the'seed-cotton from the hopper, said conveyerconsisting, preferably, of a lsprocket- Fig. 5 represents an endA l Fig.7 represents ar top plan view of one of the links of the con-AVeyer--chaiu with one of itsffrictionmollers chain passing over thesprocket-gears DD D2 and driven from a pulley E, -Xed upon thel.power-shaft F.

, Between the upper sprocket-gears D D are yderiving its rotation from alocated the ginning devices, consisting in this,

instance of a rotatory frame provided with two heads G G, Within whichare journaled'the cylindrical ends of the shafts of a series of rollersf. The extreme ends of the shafts of the ginning-rollers f are providedwith pinions f', which mesh with the teeth of a gear I, fixed upon theshaft J and rotated by means of a pinion K, also xed upon the shaft Jand gear H upon the power-shaft F. The relation of the gearing is suchthat during one revolution of the gear I, and consequently of therotatory frame, the individual gin-rollers f will receive an independentaxial rotation at a much higher rate of speed. stances to impart arevolution of sixty turns a minute to the rotary frame and three hundredand sixty turns a minute to the individual ginrollers by means of themultiplyin g-gearing described.

Intermediate of the conveyer and the rotatory gin-rollers fis locatedthe `flexible screen L, which may be of sheet metal, provided atitscentral portion with series of perforations breaking joint with eachother, as indicated clearly in Fig. 4. Beyond the perforations referredto the outlying edges of the screen are preferably imperforate, so as toserve as a suitable track for the friction-rollers of the conveyer. Thescreen for a portion of its length envelops the series of gin-rollersand its outlying free end is borne upon idlers e and finally depends orhangs down at the rear of the apparatus, where itis put underlongitudinal strain or tension by means of i aweight Q or itsequivalent. The function of the Weight is to hold the screen in closecontact With the rapidly-rotating gin-rollers and to compensate for anywear incident to the continued use of the apparatus, so that it subserves the function of an automatic take-up.

The seed-cotton conveyer is made up of a series of links of the desiredlength so cast or otherwise fashioned or'constructed as to be of askeleton or open pattern. The main body portion of the links is formed,preferably, of longitudinal bars a, separated from each other by anintervening longitudinal open space b, and provided with a series ofprojecting pins or fingers, and the main body portigns of the adjacentlinks are so formed as to leave corresponding spaces CZ between them. Inthis manner the conveyer throughout its entire extent is of an openpattern, the openings being of such dimensions as notto permit theseed-cotton to fall through them, but at the saine time permit thepassage of the necessary current of air incident to the operation of theapparatus. At their ends the links are provided with openings g and withcooperating hooks 7L, whereby they are readily assembled, and ou eitherside ofthe said openings are arranged standards for the reception of thejournals of friction-rollers m, which are thus elevated correspondinglyIn practice I prefer in most in-- ical screen-clearer.

.the screen, beyond the perforations thereof,

as hereinbefore described.

At any suitable point is stationed the pneumatic device consisting,preferably, of a fanblower P, Fig. 4, discharging a current of air intoa supply-conduit n, from which it enters anair-pressure chamber M infront of the conveyer and screen. In this chamber the pressure isequalized and distributed uniformly to the seed-cotton as it is conveyedover the screen.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows: The seed-cotton receivedfrom the hopper by the conveyer-chain is conducted along the front faceof the screen. In its passage across the screen the air in thepressure-chamber M causes the lint to enter the screen-perforations,whereupon the rapidly-revolving gin-rollers on the opposite side of thescreen assist in drawing the lint through the per-` forations and awayfrom the cotton-seed, which are unable to pass through the perforations.The current of air is of sufficient volume to carry thev lint thusdisengaged from the cotton-seed out into the lint-flue R, as in dicatedby the arrows. The delinted cottonseed is conveyed by the chain over thesprocket-Wheels D and is discharged into a suitable receptacle.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim isl. In a cotton-gin,the combination with a flexible screen, of a conveyer'for progressingseed-cotton along the screen, and means for causing the lint to passthrough the screenperforations.

2. In a cotton-gin, the combination With a flexible screen, of aconveyer for progressing seed-cotton along the screen, and means forcausing the lint to pass through the screenperforations, said meansconsisting in part of a pneumatic device. p

3. In a cotton-gin, the combination with a flexible screen, of aconveyer for progressing seed-cotton along the screen, and means forcausing the lint to pass through the screenperforations, said meansconsistingin part of a mechanical screen-clearer.

4. In a cotton-gin, the combination with a flexible screen, o'f aconveyer for progressing seed-cotton along the screen, and means forcausing the lint to pass through the screenperfor-ations, said meansconsistingin part of a pneumatic device and in part of a mechan- 5. In acotton-gin, the combination With a flexible screen, of a conveyer forprogressing seed-cotton along the screen, and means for causing the lintto pass through the screenperforations, said means consisting in part ofa pneumatic device, said pneumatic device consisting of a blast-,fanarranged at the front side of the conveyer andscreen.

IOO

` rollers acting against the rear of the screen and gressing seed-cottonalong the screen, a blower ssv ing'the lint to pass through thescreen-perfocotton-conveyer chain upon which the hopper l 6. In acottongin,'the combination with a flexible screen, of a conveyer forprogressing seed-cotton alongthe screen, and means for causing the lintto pass through the screenperforations, said means consisting of arotatory ginning device.

7. In a cotton-gin, the combination With a screen, of a conveyer forprogressing seedcotton along the screen, and means for causing the lintto pass through the screen-perforations, said means consisting of arotatory ginning device comprising a circular series of rollers actingagainst the rear of the screen.

g S. In a cotton-gin, the combination with a screen, of a conveyer forprogressing seedcotton along the screen, and means for causrations, saidmeans consisting of a rotatory ginning device comprising a circularseries of rollers acting against the' rear of the screen and mountedWithin a rotatory frame.

9. In a cotton-gin, the combination with a screen, of a conveyer forprogressing seedcotton along the screen, and means for-causing the lintto pass through the screen-perforations, said means consisting of arotato'ry ginning device comprising a circular series of mounted withina rotatory frame, the shafts of said rollers being geared to the shaftof the frame by multiplying-gearing, so as to rotate at a higher rate ofspeed than the frame.

10. In a cotton-gin, arotary frame, gin-rollers mounted therein,multiplying-gearing between the frame and the gin-rollers, a screenconforming in curvature to the outer sweep of the gin-rollers,- andaconveyer for progressing seed-cotton along the screen,

11. Inacotton-gin, a rotary frame, gin-rollers mounted therein,multiplying-gearing between the frame and the gin-rollers, a screenconforming in curvature to the outer sweep of the gin-rollers, and aconveyerv for prodirecting its blast through the conveyer, screen androtary frame, and a lint-exit iiue.

12. In a cotton-gin, a feed-hopper, a seeddischarges, a ser-ies ofrotatory gin-rollers mounted in a rotatory frame, a screen conforming inshape to the arrangement of the rollers, and sprocket-gears for theconveyerchains arranged on opposite sidesof the gin rollers.

13. In a cotton-gin, a feed-hopper, a seedcotton-conveyor chain uponwhich the hopper discharges, a series of rotatory gin-rollers mounted ina rotator-y frame, a screen conforming in shape to the arrangement ofthe rollers, and sprocket-gears for the conveyerchains arranged onopposite sides of the ginrollers, a blower discharging its blast throughI the conveyei'chain,sci'een and rotatory frame, and a lint-exit flue.

14. In a cotton-gin, a feed-hopper, a seedcotton-conveyer chain uponwhich the hopper discharges, a series of rotatory gin-rollers mounted ina rotatory frame, a screen conforming in lshape to the arrangement ofthe rollers, and sprocket-gears for the conveyerchains arranged onopposite sides of the ginrollers and an automatic take-up for thescreen.

15. In a cotton-gin, a screen, provided with perforations along itsmiddle portion and having outlying edge portions, in combination with aseed-cotton conveyer having frictionrollers running on said edgeportions and means for drawing the cotton through the screen.

16.' In a cotton-gin, a screen, a movable screen-clearer cooperatingtherewith, and a take-upfor constantly holding the screen against thescreen-clearer.

17. In a cotton-gin, a screen, a 'movable screen-clearer cooperatingtherewith, and av take-up for constantly holding the screen against thescreen-clearer, said take-up consisting of a weight exerting alongitudinal pull on the screen.

18. In a cotton-gin, a flexible screen, a rotatory screen-clearer partlyenveloped by the screen, and a take-up for constantly holding the screenagainst the screen-clearer, said take-up consisting of a Weight exertinga longitudinal pull on the screen.`

19. In a cotton-gin, a seed-conveyer, con- Asist-ing of a series oflinks provided with series of projecting pins or fingers', and fric=tion-rollers carried hy the links toproperly space the conveyer fromanopposing surface.

20. Inl a cotton-gin, a seed-cotton conveyer, consisting of aseries ofskeleton or open links, made up of perforated or slotted main bodyportions, having pins or ingersprojecting therefrom, andfriction-rollers journaled in the ends of the links to space theconveyer from an opposing surface. Y

21.- In a cotton-gin, a seed-conveyor made up of a series oi' linkshaving end standards located beyond the conveying rportion of the linksand `friction-rollers mounted in 'said standards to .maintain the linksa xed distance from an opposed surface, and whose main body portionsconsist vof longitudinal bars separated from each other by interveningspaces, and which bear series of projecting pins or fingers.

.In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN GRAVES.

' Witnesses: l

JOHN AC. PnNNin, HUGH M. STERLING.

ITG

